Track laying vehicle



De- 3, 1940 J. A. LANDRY TRACK LAYING VEHICLE Filed April 22, 1939 3Sheets-Sheet l www IIE:

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Attorneys Dec 3, 1940- J. A. LANDRY ITRACK LAYING VEHICLE Filed April22, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Attorney 5 Dea 3, 1940 J. A. LANDRY TRACKLAYING VEHICLE l Filed April 22, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 InventorAttorneys Patented Dec. 3, 1940 f UNITED STA-TES PATENT lorifice2,223,490 TRACK LAYING VEHICLE Joseph A. Landry, Mont Joli, Quebec,Canada A. Application April 22, 1939, Serial No. 269,394 4 Claims. (ol.1804-91) Y The' present invention relates to improvements in tracklaying motor vehicle construction.

An Object of the invention is the provision of a track laying vehicle ofgenerally improved design.

Another object of the invention is the provision of al track layingvehicle having a highly flexible track engaging support structure whichreadily conforms to inequalities of the'ground.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a track layingvehicle rhaving support means of the aforesaid character which is verystrong and durable. 1

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a track layingvehicle of the above character which is highly efiicient in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description pro-v gresses.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like reference characters are employed to designate correspendingparts throughout the same:

Figure l is a side elevational View of the vehicle,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the rear portion of the vehiclein one position,

Figure 3 is a similar View showing the mechanisrn in another position,

Figure 4 is a Aplan View of the lower rear portion of the vehicle,

Figure 5`is a longitudinal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on the line 3 6 of Figure 4,

Figure 7 is ay section taken onthe line ll of Figure 5,-

Figure 8 is a fragmentary detail elevational view of the trackbelt, and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view through the belt.

Referring to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration isshown a preferred em,-

bodiment of the invention, IU generally desigtransmissiony mechanism Ildriven by a propeller shaft I8. f l 5@ The rear spring suspensionembodies a pair of longitudinally directed semi-elliptic spring mem-ubens 29 secured to the frame I I in a position forwardly of the rearaxle. The conventional rear driving wheels are removed from the drivingaxle' and are replaced by a pair of special wheels 2l having a hub,spoke and brake structure corresponding to the conventional. wheels andprovided with a relatively vwide annular felly 22 formed to provide onthe circumferentialv centre portion a plurality of sockets 23. The sideanges of the felly may likewise be apertured, as indicated at 24, toallow thesnow tov clear off.

At a position spaced forwardly'of each of the two drive wheels 2I isprovided a similar wheel 25 fitted on the end portion of a transverselyextending shaft 2l. 'Over the complementaryY wheels 2| and 26, at eachside of the rear portion of the vehicle, is trained an endless trackbelt 28, in the form of a relatively wide continuous exibl-e band, ofrubber or the like. In the outer face of each of these endless trackmembers isforrned a longitudinal centrally arranged channel 29, whilethe surface of the raised portion at each side is preferably providedwith zig- Zag grooves 3i) to furnish a suitable tread. To the inner sideor face of each belt 23, directly opposite the channel 29, are secured aplurality of tooth forming blocks 3|, of elongated tapering form. Theseblocks are securely fastened to the track belt at predetermined spacedintervals by bolts 32 and are adapted to engage the sockets in thewheels 2I and 26.

To a bracket 34 secured to the bottom central part of each spring 20 isconnected a support 1ever 35 curved so that its ends 36 are directeddownwardly while the main intermediate body portion lis boweddownwardly, as shown to adat the centre of the longitudinally extendinglever bar 35 is connected by a pin 39 with an eye on the bracket 34 toprovide an oscillatory connection; l p

. The rear end of each oscillatory bar 35, which is preferably formedwith a pivot knuckle, spans and pivotally connects with the intermediateportion of an oscillating lever 42. Thislever is in the form of astraight tapered bar having the heavier inner end provided with abearing 43 rotatably engaging a transverse shaft 44. The opposite outerend portion of this lever is journalled on the housing of the rear driveshaft by a bearing 45. (See Fig. 5.)

vantage at Figure 5. A pivot knuckle 3l formed The forward end of eachbar 35 is pivotally connected with a front lever 41, similar to the rearlevers 42, having its inner end connected with a shaft 48 by a bearingand its outer end on a bearing 49 on the front wheel shaft 2l. Thisbearing clamp 49 is adapted to slidably engage the forward end of thebar which is adjustable thereon by a screw 50 to enable the tension ofthe track belt to be regulated.

On the outer end portions of the shafts 44 and 48 ar-e mounted arcuateframe members52 having their medial portions pivotally connected withsaid shafts 44 and 48 and formed of strong bar material. The downwardlydirected end pory tions of these arcuate frame members are con-Anect-ed, through the medium of pivot connec-V tions 53, to trucksections or bogies 5'4. Each of these sections is formed at the endswith bearing sleeves engaging the intermediate parts. of transverselyextending roller shafts 55. On theV oppositeportions of the shaftsv 55are rotatably tted rollers 55 arranged in transversely spaced 4 pairsand disposed to rest and roll on the inner face of the track Z8 at eachside of the teeth 3l. Formed integral with and projecting laterally.outward of each knuckle 3.1 is a bracket leg 58 having a right angularupstanding leg 6@ at its outer end.' The leg' 6i) is apertured to.receive a transversely disposed shaft 6l having a pair of rollers'rotatably tted thereon. These rollers are arranged to engage and supportthe upper reach ofthe track and to obviate whipping thereof when thevehicleis in motion. Said rollers are shown in section in Fig. 7, butcannot be seen in the other side views, as theyv are hidden from viewbehind-spring ZG.

This construction provides a highly exible support and drive mechanism.The rear pair of Wheels 2| secured' on they axleA shaft driven by thevehicle motor, which drive the two endless track belts 28", the forward'complementary idler wheels 26' over Which the tracks are trained, andthe intermediate rollers 5B are so arranged and connected as tov furnisheicient traction. The supi 4,5 porting and connecting levers and trucksare adapted' to maintain the intermediate rollers in effective' contactwith the' tracks as the great flexibility thereof is designed to enablethese rollers to conform to road inequalities, as shown to v advantageat Figures 1 to 3 inclusive. Thus, the

departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the subjoinedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, I claimt: 1. In a motor'vehiclehaving a frame and a motor driven shaft, a pair of drive wheels securedvon the said shaft, an auxiliary shaft having a pair of idler wheelsmounted thereon, an

endless track trained over each drive wheel and complementary idlerwheel, a plurality of roller trucks mo-unted on each track between thewheels, means for pivotally coupling vtogethereach adjacent pair oftrucks, a plurality of levers connecting the wheel shafts with theroller truck coupling means, a spring attached to the frame at eachside, a support and'tyng lever pivoted centrally to the spring andpivoted at each end to one wheel shaft lever toinsure the proper positioning of said wheel shaft levers and trucks, and means for adjustingthe length of the auxiliary wheel shaft levers.

2. kIn a motor vehicle having a frame anda pairs of roller trucks, aspring attached to the:

vehicle frame at' each side, and a supportv member pivotally connectedwith each springV andy with the said' levers. v

3. In a motor vehicle' having a frame and a motor driven shaft at: therear of the` frame, a pair of drive wheels secured on the said shaft,'anauxiliary shaft arranged forward'. ofand parallel with the motor drivenshaft, a pair of yidler Wheels on the said auxiliary shaft,r an` endlesstrack trained over each drive wheel'y and a complementary idler wheeland Vdriven by they saidy drive wheel, a plurality of roller trucksdisposed on the lower reach of each track, a frame n'lembe'rcon-vr`necting the said trucks in pairs, a plurality of levers connecting thewheel shafts with adjacent pairs of roller trucks, a spring attached` tothe vehicle frame at each side, andan oscillatory le- Y ver having itscentre portion pivotally connected with ,eachspring and its end portionspivotally connected with intermediate parts of the levers.

4. In a motor Vehicley having a frame and a motor driven shaft,l a pairof `drive wheels secured on the said shaft, anl auxiliary shaftV havinga pair of idler wheels and dispo-sed parallel to and forward of thedriven shaft, an endless track trained over each drive wheel andcomplementary idler wheel, a plurality' of roller trucks mounted on eachtrack. between the wheels, arcuate members pivotall'y vconnectingtogether adjacent pairs of trucks.. apivoted leverA extending from thedriven shaft and auxiliary shaft respectively to connect one arcuatemember with each of said shafts, a tyingand support lever connectingtogether the'complementary pivoted levers, pivoted means for 'tying thecenter of said tying and support' lever to frame springs, and means, oneach auxiliary shaft lever for adjusting the length thereof and, hence,the length of each endless track. 1 f f H VJ. AD. LnNDRY.

